Press-vat.



E. BLOCH-PIMENTEL.

PRESS VAT.

APPLICATION FILED APR-1,1912.

MWWWWW Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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L T @ATE% PAEN EMILE BLOCI-I-EIMENTEL, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PRESS-VAT.

Application filed April 1, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMILE BLoorr-PIMEN- TEL,a citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of 83 Boulevard deSbastopol, Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented a new anduseful Improved Press- Vat, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in treating articles, ormatter, requiring to be steeped and afterward pressed, especiallyadapted for use where handling of the articles, or matter, containingcaustic, or corrosive, liquors is to be avoided, such T for instance asin the preparation of alkalicellulose, for which purpose, for thepurposes of description it is presumed that the apparatus is to be used,and it is also presumed that the cellulose treated is in the form ofwood pulp.

It is known that, in order to make the product known as viscose, it isnecessary to alter the cellulose by means of caustic alkali for whichpurpose the cellulose is steeped in a vat containing alkaline lye thesurplus of which is afterward removed, the alkali-cellulose beingpressed, or subjected to centrifugal action, to remove the last portionsof the excess.

The present invention provides an apparatus by means of which both theoperations of steeping and removal of the surplus alkaline lye can beperformed in such a way as to reduce the cost of labor and avoid thedangers of manipulating articles, or matter, charged with causticalkali.

The following is a description of the said invention with reference tothe accompany ing drawing, the figure of which illustrates, inlongitudinal section, an apparatus in accordance with this invention,which however is not limited to the precise arrangement, constructionand disposition, of the parts illustrated, the essentials being asteeping vat and a press combined and operated so that, after thearticles, or matter, have been steeped for the requisite time, thesurplus alkaline lye can be removed without removing the articles, ormatter, from their position after the steeping and before the pressing.

The steeping vat A, is shown as being divided into a number ofcompartments by movable perforated, or reticulated, plates C (preferablyof perforated sheet iron) guided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

Serial No. ceases.

by bars 0 upon which travels the press plate F, carried by the pistonrod f of the pump B.

The sheets of wood pulp on which the alkaline lye is to act are placedbetween the plates C, which travel on the rods 0, and in order to insurethat the sheets of wood pulp keep in position, as well as to facilitatetheir removal from the vat at the end of the operation, they areseparated at intervals by removable perforated, or reticulated, plates E(preferably also of perforated sheet iron) in each of the spaces betweenthe plates C and rods 0.

Pressing is effected by means of the afore said press plate F, and therequired travel of the piston G of the press is limited by distancepieces which may be bosses D, on the plates C, or pieces mounted on therods 0 separately from the said plates.

The operation is as follows :The sheets to be steeped are placed in anysuitable number between the removable plates E in the spaces between theplates C and the steeping lye is run into the vat A, and left for thenecessary time. Then the surplus lye is run off and the press is startedand the forward movement of the press is stopped when the plates C andthe press plate F, respectively, come into contact with the distancepieces D. Fig. 2 illustrates the position at the end of the vat A afterpressing has been effected. The excess lye runs away'by the outlet K, atthe bottom of the bath, which outlet is provided with means for openingand closing. The piston of the press pump then moves back and the sheetsof wood pulp can be easily removed.

H and I are the inlet and outlet for the water, or other fluid, used tooperate the' ress.

What I claim is 1. A combined steeping and pressing vat comprising asubstantially horizontal trough-like receptacle open at its top andadapted to receive in vertical position cellulose material in sheetform, guide rods eX- tending longitudinally of the vat, a plurality ofpress plates vertically arranged in the vat and slidably mounted on saidguide rods between which press plates the cellulose material is adaptedto be arranged, and a presser adapted to advance said press plateshorizontally toward one end of the vat to compress the material arrangedbetween the same, said vat having a drainage aperture in its bottom, forthe purpose described.

2. A combined steeping and pressing vat comprising a substantiallyhorizontal trough-like receptacle open at its top and adapted to receivein vertical position cellulose material in sheet form, guide rodsextending longitudinally of the vat, a plurality of reticulated pressplates vertically arranged in the vat and slidably mounted on said guiderods between which press plates the cellulose material is adapted to bearranged, and a presser adapted to advance said press plateshorizontally toward one end of the vat to compress the material arrangedbetween the same, said vat having a drainage aperture in its bottom,

. for the purpose described.

3. A combined steeping and pressing vat comprising a substantiallyhorizontal trough-like receptacle open at its top and adapted to receivein vertical position cellulose material in sheet form, guide rods extending longitudinally of the vat, a plurality of press platesvertically arranged in the vat and slidably mounted on saidguide rodsbetween which press plates the cellulose material is adapted to bearranged, relatively light reticulated plates adapted to be supportedin'vertical position on the bottom of the trough between adjacentpresser plates and serving to subdivide the cellulose material betweensaid plates into smaller units for the purpose described, and a presseradapted to advance said press plates horizontally toward one end of thevat to com- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,by addressing the press the material arranged between the same, said vathaving a drainage aperture in its bottom.

4. A combined steeping and pressing vat comprising a substantiallyhorizontal trough-like receptacle open at its top and adapted to receivein vertical position cellulose material in sheet form, guide rodsextending longitudinally of the vat, a plurality of press platesvertically arranged in the vat and slidably mounted on said guide rodsbetween which press plates the cellulose material is adapted to bearranged, bosses on the rear faces of said plates surrounding the guiderods and serving to space said plates apart, relatively lightreticulated plates adapted to be vertically arranged in the vat tosubdivide the cellulose sheet groups between adjacent press plates.

said reticulated sheets being of such width only that they may belaterally confined between the said bosses on the press plates, and apresser adapted to advance said press plates horizontally toward one endof the vat to compress the material arranged between the same, said vathaving a drainage aperture in its bottom, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMILE BLOCH-PIMENTEL.

Witnesses P. SUTCUA, LUCIEN MEMMINGER.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

